What I Want
by Twilight016
Summary: Tom had never needed anyone. Ever. But then things changed when she started hanging around. Now he has this odd need, even hunger, for her. Can she overlook what he is or not? Starts in first year, goes to 7th and beyond. Please review!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own anything Harry Potter related.**

Tom watched families bid good-bye to one another on the platform as he sat alone in his compartment. Mothers were giving last minute warnings and advice between giving their children hugs and kisses. Their fathers stood by, gave a brief hug and then ushered their child on to the train. He noticed one father was particularly pushy when escorting his daughter on to the train as if he had better things to do than send his child off to school. The mother looked upset, but said nothing. She waved one last time to her daughter and left through the barrier with her husband.

Tom was thankful he did not have to endure such nonsense. Most of the students, especially the younger ones, looked extremely embarrassed from their parents' good-byes. Not only had he escaped such humiliation, but also he had been able to go to the station by himself. Mrs. Cole had—though unwillingly—given in to his demands. It was wonderful to be free of that place. He could not wait to go to Hogwarts and learn magic. He would learn as much as possible, more than the other students could ever hope to, and become the greatest wizard the world would ever know.

As the train pulled out of the station, Tom was from his reverie by the sound of the compartment door sliding open. He turned and saw that it was the girl who had been pushed onto the train by her father. She was small—probably a first year like him—with strawberry-blonde hair and hazel eyes. Her skin had a bit of color to it, sun-kissed some would say. In all honesty, she was plain, normal. Nothing special.

"Do you mind if I join you?" she asked, her voice was light, but not entirely feminine. There was a slight edge; like she was only asking to be polite but had already decided that she was going to sit there. "Everywhere else is full."

Tom nodded and gestured to the seat across from him. She entered, closed the door and sat down. Tom watched her open the cat carrier she had been carrying to reveal a black cat with white paws and green eyes. The cat eyed him, but made no effort to leave its carrier. The girl then pulled out an old book from her bag. Tom was relieved. He did not want to make small talk and he had no desire to make friends. He was happy to see she could occupy herself and he could enjoy the ride to Hogwarts in peace.

"By the way, I'm Jacqueline Blake and this is Caspar," she said indicating her cat. "Who are you?"

He sighed quietly, he gotten his hopes up. She was like every other girl: a talker. However, her last name sounded familiar. He took him a minute, but then he remembered. Her father, Benjamin Blake, had been featured in a daily profit article the day he went to Diagon Alley to get his school supplies. Her father worked at the ministry. Tom was not sure what he did, but remembered that he was some high-ranking official. The article had been about how he was supporting a law that would monitor and study muggle-borns in order to learn how they came to possess magic. Tom was not entirely sure what all this meant yet, but he was determined to very soon.

"Tom Riddle," he said, deciding that it may be a good idea to play nice with her. After all, her father was in the ministry, there was no telling what she knew. "Your father works at the ministry, correct?

"Yes, he works in the International Magical Office of Law Department. Why?"

"Just curious, there was an article about him in the _Prophet_ a few days ago," he said, feigning disinterest. She looked at him suspiciously for a moment then turned back toward her book. He thought she was going to open it, but was disappointed once again.

"So what does your father do?" She did not ask it as a challenge. She merely being polite, and possibly a bit curious, yet the question still angered him.

"I don't know, I haven't got any parents," he snapped. He thought she was more taken aback by his tone than anything else. She looked a bit uncomfortable and mumbled "I'm sorry." This only made Tom angrier: He did not want or need her pity. He shrugged and noticed her cat had crawled into her lap. He sighed; she was never going to open that book.

"What house are you hoping to be in?" she asked timidly.

Tom, who had done his homework, responded, "Slytherin, the most powerful wizards come from that house."

"And the most snobbish, purest, and rudest" she mumbled disdainfully. He looked at her curiously. From what he read the house had produced many powerful and successful witches and wizards, albeit many were considered dark witches and wizards, but power was power. What did it matter?

"Sorry," she said, blushing slightly, "my whole families been in Slytherin and most of parents' friends were too. Many them are only mediocre wizards, but pride themselves on their pureblood status. I don't like the house your in matters all that much, honestly. I think it's your decisions and actions that determine what kind of witch or wizard you'll be."

"So what house do you want to be in?" Tom asked. Her answer surprised him. She was, obviously, a pureblood and therefore knowledgeable about the magical world, but there was something else. He could tell she was intelligent and opinionated from her little speech. He could tell it would benefit him to stay on good terms with this girl.

"I don't know. It doesn't really matter what I want anyway," she said. "If I'm not in Slytherin my parents will probably disown me. They are, especially my father, very proud of their blood heritage. But you probably guessed that from the article, didn't you?"

Tom nodded. They spent the rest of their journey talking about the ways of the magical world (mostly what was common knowledge to everyone else but Tom), Hogwarts, and their future classes. Jackie—that's what she preferred to be called—was very patient and did not mind all his questions. While he could not decide which classes he was most excited about, she could not wait for Potions, Herbology, and History of Magic. Apparently, making potions did not count as underage magic, and she enjoyed working with plants and learning about past events. She seemed to have spent most of her life either reading or helping in the garden. She even lent him her copy of _Hogwarts, A History_ on the promise that he would return it as soon as he was done.

After a very long journey, they finally arrived at Hogwarts. Tom was giddy with excitement, though tried not to show it. He waited as Jackie put her cat away and next her trunk overhead. Their belongings were to be left and taken care of later. As they stepped onto the platform, a tall, old man was calling "First years, over here! First years!" They joined the rest of the first years surrounding the man. He took them down to the edge of a lake, where a bunch of boats were sitting, waiting. They all climbed in and the boats moved gently across the water of their own accord. Two boys had joined them, but Tom ignored them. He was too busy staring at the great looming castle at the water's edge.

It seemed to take forever to arrive at the Great Hall. First the train, then the boats, and now they were stuck in the entrance hall. Tom gave an exasperated sigh and looked around him. Some of the first years looked scared, others bored, many were whispering anxiously to one another. Jackie was now talking to a blonde girl; she didn't seem to be enjoying the conversation. She caught Tom's eye an excused herself. She came and stood next to him.

"That's Emily Avery, she has an older brother in his second year here. Their parents are friends of mine, so I have to be polite," she whispered to him. "I wish I didn't though, I swear they dropped her on her head as a baby or something."

Tom had to stifle a laugh as they were being led into the Great Hall as they said all this. One by one, they were called and sorted. Some took longer than others to be placed. Jackie was one that took a bit longer, but was finally sorted into Slytherin. Tom, however, had been placed in Slytherin as soon as the hat touched his head. Jackie looked very pleased when he sat down beside her.

After a filling meal, they were lead to the dungeons were the Slytherin dormitory was located. The dormitory must have been under the lake because the light had a greenish hue to it, but Tom was too tired to wonder how this was possible. Jackie bid him goodnight and went right to the girls' rooms, while he went left to the boys'. As he in his elaborate four poster bed complete with green and silver beddings, he thought how this had been the best day of his life and how it was only going to get better before drifting off to a peaceful sleep.

A**/N: Please review and let me know what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

**A/N: I will start jumping through time in this chapter, but will indicate when I am doing so. Thanks to my 2 reviewers. You encouraged me to continue with this story.**

As classes started, Tom noticed Jackie was one of the more talented students in their year. She caught on quickly, succeeding in performing spells and concocting potions correctly and knowing the answers before anyone else in their classes. Except for him, of course. His advanced magical abilities surprised his teachers, but not him. He knew he must be powerful if he could control the children at the orphanage.

He sat with Jackie in all of their classes. It was nice to be around someone of equal intelligence…plus she was rather quiet. She would talk one-on-one, but never in classes and hardly ever in big groups. And, after a few weeks, big groups were hard for both of them to avoid. Tom had earned a bit of a following due to his advanced abilities. Jackie, though exceedingly bright, was expected to associate with the children of her parents' friends. She did so dutifully, however reluctantly.

According to her, the rest of the girls were exactly like their leader, Emily Avery. They were pretty, rich snobs with cobwebs for brains. She understand why they even bothered coming to school since all they cared about was getting married to whomever their parents chose for them and having said man's children. She spent as little time was possible with them, retreating to the library when she wanted a moment's peace or to get some work done. She knew they would never follow her in there, and while Tom rather enjoyed the attention from his peers, he often joined her in order to do his homework in peace or ask her more questions.

"I've already told you everything I know about Salazar Slytherin and Parseltongues," Jackie said, furiously scratching out another line in her Transfiguration essay. He couldn't blame her, it was only about the tenth time he had asked her, but he really wanted to know. "Besides, Slytherin's dead and most Parseltongues don't go about announcing themselves as they would then be considered evil. Why are you so interested in Slytherin anyway?"

"Just curious, he _is_ the head of our house after all. Wouldn't it be nice to know what happened to him after he left Hogwarts? Maybe find out what he put in the Chamber of Secrets?" He had tried to sound nonchalant about it, but the disbelieving look she was giving him told him he had failed miserably. She gave an exasperated sigh and went back to her essay.

"First, the Chamber of Secrets isn't real. It's a legend; a story told to keep students from wandering the halls at night. Second, no one knows what happened to Slytherin. He just disappeared, but if you're so interested why don't you try some of these," she said, gesturing to the thousands of books surrounding them.

"I will," he said smirking. "And I'll prove you wrong about Slytherin and the Chamber.

She rolled her eyes, returned to her essay, and muttered, "I wish I never gave you that book."

His smirked deepened. They had known each other for two months now; he knew when she was about to give up. It was easier to win arguments when she was studying; she took her work very seriously. He moved through the shelves, pulling out books with promising titles at random. After half an hour he had accumulated around thirty books. Jackie helped him carry the books back to their dorm when the library closed. They had shoved most of the books into their bags and were only carrying a few books each.

"Did you ever find anything on your father?" she asked as they crossed the entrance hall to the dungeons.

"No." She was the only one who knew he had been trying to find out about his parents. Sometimes he worried he revealed too much to her. However, as far as he knew at least, she told anyone anything he had told her. _But then_, he thought, _her family's part of the wizard's high society. She's probably used to keeping secrets._

"Well, don't give up yet. He just may have not have been as good of a student as you are. Maybe he was in a club or something?" she supplied optimistically.

"Checked that already. I guess it's possible he didn't go here. He could've been home-schooled or attended another school."

"Hmm, maybe. Serpent tongues."

They had reached their dormitory. They were quiet as they climbed through the portrait hole, lost in their thoughts. It took Tom several trips up the stairs to get all his books to his room. On the last one he decided to ask her the question he had been wanting to ask for days.

"Have you ever heard the name Marvolo before?" he asked, taking the last few books from her and looking at her expectantly.

For a moment she looked as though she was about to say no, but then her expression changed. She looked confused, unsure. Her face scrunched as though trying to recall something she had forgotten.

"Honestly, I'm not sure. It sounds familiar, but I can't place it. Why?"

"It was my grandfather's name on my mother's side, my middle name," he said, failing to hide the disappointment in his voice. "'Night."

"Goodnight Tom," she said quietly. He watched as she walked up the stairs to the girls' dorms, wondering again if he had said too much.

**Second Year**

Tom awoke to a blinding white light in his face. He groaned. It was the first day of the winter holidays, what was going on?

"Do plan on sleeping the day away Mr. Riddle?" came a light, taunting voice from the foot of his bed.

He opened his eyes and saw Jackie sitting near his feet, laughing. She had come out of her shell since last year. She was much braver now, more outgoing. She had friends in the other houses, even Gryffindor. However, she was as studious as ever and still spent a great deal of her time with him. Tom had mixed feelings about this change. He found he didn't much like her hanging out with others, but at the same time enjoyed her new daring. She was one of the few who had ever challenged him in debates before and now she was even better at it. The only problem with that was when she questioned him about his group of 'friends,' which had become smaller and more selective since last year.

She did not like them at all. She knew most of them from before Hogwarts and said they were nothing but bullies: then and now. Whenever any of them came around she would leave. Apparently she had decided not to play nice with all of parents' acquaintances' children, only those she absolutely had to. Tom had guessed this had gotten her into a bit of trouble at home and that was why she was here for the holidays instead of there. But then she had at Hogwarts over the holidays during their first year as well…

"Guess not," he said sitting up, his eyes finally adjusting to the light. "What are doing here anyways?"

"Well, I've been hanging out with Abraxas Malfoy for most of the morning, but I'm afraid he can be a bit dull. So, I decided to come and find you. Imagine my surprise when I found that you were not in the library surrounded by mountains of books, but still in bed. I tell you, I almost died," she babbled cheerfully.

Abraxas Malfoy was a third year and part of Tom's inner circle. He was one of the few that Jackie did not find completely repulsive, though there were times when she could not stand him: Such as this morning apparently. He rolled his eyes at her sarcasm, another trait of her new personality. Tom had wondered if it was new or just who she really was but had been hiding. He had given up trying to figure out it though. It was not that important.

"Well, I see you're still here with us," he said, feigning regret.

"Yes, I did manage to overcome the shock. Though by the looks of it you have half the library in here. Let me guess more research?" she asked, eyeing the stacks of books on his nightstand.

"What else? You didn't answer my question," he said annoyed now. He didn't like being ignored.

"Yes I did. You asked me why I was here I told I was bored. Now hurry up and get dressed. We can go eat lunch and then explore the castle or the grounds," she ordered.

Tom was now torn between amusement and annoyance. Quite recently, within the last few months in fact, she had developed a daring sense of adventure. While she had never done anything to get her into trouble—or at least not gotten caught for it—she had been breaking a few rules here and there. Tom found it entertaining. However, she had just told him to do something, and he did not much care for being ordered around. He had to control his tone when repeated his question.

"I mean, why do you spend your holidays at Hogwarts? Why don't you ever go home?"

She looked away from him, her smile faltering a little. He could tell she was uncomfortable, that she was debating with herself about something. Something else that had not changed this year was how well she kept things secret, private. Even if it was something that should probably be told, she either did not realize it or was afraid to breach someone's trust. He knew she had many secrets; just did not know what they were. She finally looked back at him, though she was no longer smiling.

"My home's not a happy place for me. Hogwarts feels more like home to me," she explained, choosing her words carefully. "My parents, well, they don't mind. They spend most of their time at work or society functions, so it's not like I'd see much of them anyways. Besides, they hardly notice me when I am home."

An awkward silence descended upon them. Tom could not make out how she was feeling. She had kept her tone steady and even, but he had glimpsed just a bit of sadness in her eyes. He suddenly regretted asking her. He could relate to how she felt; he just never thought anyone with parents could feel the same as he did about the school.

"Er, why don't you head to lunch and I'll catch up with you?" he asked, breaking the silence.

She nodded. She had made her way to the door before she stopped and turned back.

"I almost forgot," she said, handing him a rectangular package that felt very much like a book. "Merry Christmas."

He opened the package as soon as she left. It was indeed a book. In fact it was his own copy of _Hogwarts, A History._ Inside the front cover was written a very short message:

_To Tom, my first and closest friend,_

_I hope you find what you're looking for._

_-Jackie Blake_

Tom read the message over and over, as if trying to decipher a code. He had never received a gift before. Especially a gift that was brand new. He felt very guilty for the question he had just asked her. Tom decided he would make it up to her by helping her explore the castle and the grounds for any hidden secrets. Besides, it could never hurt to learn more about the school. Not even the teachers knew all of its secrets. But he, Tom Riddle, was determined to find them all. And who better to help him than Jackie? She would not tell anyone and would enjoy herself in the process.

Tom smiled to himself as he made his way to the Great Hall for lunch: This was going to be a very productive holiday.

**So what do you think? **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

A/N: Thanks again to my reviewers, I really appreciate that you take the time to comment. It's nice to know someone's reading this. Sorry for not updating faster. Enjoy!

THIRD YEAR

"Hello? Earth to Tom, anybody there?"

Tom, shaken from his thoughts, looked up to the source of the mocking voice. He was a bit startled to see Jackie sitting across from him. He was not sure how long she had been sitting there, but he had a feeling she had been there awhile. She looked slightly annoyed with him. He sighed, a bit annoyed himself for being interrupted but also a bit relieved. His thoughts had been going in circles for a while now, and he was getting nowhere. A short break couldn't hurt.

"Sorry," he said, trying to sound apologetic. "When did you get here?"

Her eyes narrowed to slits, annoyance slipping into frustration. Tom struggled to keep his face apologetic and not laugh or roll his eyes. He was hardly frightened by her anger. He could care less if she was angry with him. In fact, he found her anger a bit amusing. However, as he had learned at the end of the previous here, when she got angry—truly angry—she was very good at freezing out whomever she was mad at. She had ignored him for four weeks last time, and he found he didn't much like being ignored. He had become so tired of being ignored that he forgot what they had been fighting about in the first place and just gave in and apologized. He hadn't liked that much either, but he wanted someone with some intelligence to talk to and she was all he had for that. That, however, did not mean he felt like repeating the experience anytime soon: being ignored or apologizing.

"I asked," she said coolly, "if you were excited about our Hogsmeade trip tomorrow."

"Sure, I guess," he said, shrugging. He had had Mrs. Cole sign his form as she was the closest thing he had to guardian and none of the professors had asked him about it, so he figured everything was official. "Don't know why you're so excited though, it's just a village."

"But it's the only—"

"—Completely magical village in all of England," he finished for her. "Yeah, I know."

"So does that mean you're not going?"

Her tone softened, causing him to look back up at her. He could tell she wanted him to come, but wondered why it bothered her so much whether he did or did not go. Truth was he planned on going, just with his group of Slytherins. She didn't like them, so he knew it was pointless to invite her. Oddly, he found he wanted to. Probably because she would appreciate the historical side of Hogsmeade more than the others, he reasoned with himself.

"No, I'm going," he said, "but I'm leaving with the other guys, so I'll try to meet up with you around noon at the Three Broomsticks, ok?"

"Deal," she said, making no effort to hide her pleasure at getting her way.

It was Tom's turn to feel annoyed. He never compromised for anyone or apologized to anyone, even his so-called friends. She was the exception. He just could not understand why. Was it because she equal to him in intelligence and ability? Or that she wasn't afraid of him?

_Or, _said the voice in back of his mind, _is it because she was the first person to ever give a shit that you existed?_

Tom clenched his hands into fists at the thought. He could not care that she cared: if she cared at all. Thinking like that would only get in the way of his plan. He could not afford that.

"Tom, are you all right?" her concerned voice breaking through his thoughts yet again. He saw her eyeing his fists, his knuckles now white, with worry. He unclenched his fists and forced a smile.

"Fine," he lied. He stood up and began packing his things. When he was all finished he noticed she was still sitting there looking at him warily. "Shall we go down to dinner?"

She stood up and followed him to the Great Hall. He felt her eyes on him all the way down to the Hall and all through dinner. He avoided them at all costs. He knew if looked at her he would lose his resolve. Ever since that thought he had been thinking he would not meet her after all. He would show her she could not manipulate _him_. But when he turned to tell her he was returning to the library to look up something, he knew he would show up as planned. She still looked a bit worried, though watching him eat such a large dinner had probably eased her nerves. Nothing serious could be wrong if he had eaten that much.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said, turning to leave. She gave a small nod and turned her attention back to Emily Avery, who was on another one of her pointless rants. Tom noticed her eyes glazed over instantly. He smirked. It was funny how well she could pay attention in History of Magic, the most boring class on earth, but subject her to five seconds of some mundane drama and she was gone. She never looked like that when they talked. He wondered what he would do if she ever did.

_Stop think like that!_ He thought, mentally chastised himself.

He sighed, accepting the fact that Jackie had always been the exception to his rules and always would be. He just wished he could figure out why.

Tom watched Jackie with her friends from across the crowded room. They were quite a happy lot. They had spent most of their time laughing. Tom never really understood how they were all friends in the first place since they all came from different houses.

Bridgette Wilder was a Ravenclaw with black hair and blue eyes. He knew that she was smart and Jackie liked to be around people who could hold a conversation, so this relationship made some sense. Karen Smith was a timid Hufflepuff with dirty-blonde hair and brown eyes. When he'd asked Jackie why she hung out with her, she said Karen was a sweet and loyal friend, someone she could always count on. He supposed that was a good enough reason, though he did not understand it completely. Sarah Stone was Gryffindor with brown hair and brown eyes. Tom could find no acceptable reason for this connection. Not only was she a Gryffindor—whom all Slytherins were expected to hate on principle—but she was also a mudblood. Tom had tried to find out how Jackie could even consider speaking to a girl like that, but Jackie would not hear a word against her friend.

_That's what the fight was about, _he thought, finally remembering why she had refused to speak to him for those four weeks. Well, he would just have to be careful not to make that mistake again.

He continued to watch the girls, ignoring his 'friends' unimportant chatter. None of the girls were exceptionally pretty. In fact, none of those girls were exceptional at anything. What did she see in them?

"You know if she wasn't who she was and a Slytherin, I'd—"

"You'd what?" Tom asked his voice quiet yet threatening. Avery wavered, then muttered "nothing" under his breath. The others looked as though they wanted to say something, but didn't. They went back to their conversation, avoiding eye contact with him. Tom looked back over at Jackie trying not to be so obvious this time. He did not like what he saw.

A Hufflepuff boy, whose name he thought was Ryan Abbott had joined their table. He was paying too much attention to Jackie, in Tom's opinion. He felt his hands clench under the table. He couldn't explain his reaction. All he knew is that he wanted to blast that boy into a thousand pieces. Mercifully, one of the girls, Karen, saw him and whispered something to Jackie. She looked over, caught his eye, smiled, and excused herself from her friends. He noticed the remaining girls blushing and giggling. He hated that and was glad that Jackie never behaved so foolishly. He also noticed the boy glaring at him. He smirked, not knowing why this made him so happy.

"Hello Tom," she said, a bit breathlessly. Her cheeks were a bit flushed, but he contributed this to all the laughing she had just done. "Ready to go?"

He knew she would not want to stay with his current company. He stood up, but not before silencing his followers with a look. They knew not to say anything to antagonize Jackie. He said it was because she was smart enough to figure out what they were doing if they were not careful, but deep down he knew it was because he did not want to risk losing speaking privileges with her again.

He followed her outside into the crisp autumn air. It was a perfect day, despite the chilly wind. Jackie didn't seem to notice the chill since she had not buttoned her jacket all the way up. He did notice her cheeks growing redder from the wind. He watched her as they walked in silence; she seemed to be biting her tongue—literally. Instantly he knew what was coming. When she finally stopped and turned to him, he was prepared.

"Why do you hang out with them?" she demanded.

Tom ran his fingers through his hair, stalling. He wanted to tell her truth; after all, she had kept all his other secrets. She knew more about him than even his followers did, though she probably did not realize how much she knew. But he didn't want to tell her at the same time. She could tell someone, someone like Dumbledore, or worse, she could leave and never speak to him again. He sighed, deciding to go ahead with 'counterargument.'

"I could say the same to you about yours," he said, making sure to keep his voice neutral, rational. And even though he had, she had still glared at him. "Listen, let's just accept that we both are friends with people the other would never be caught dead with. There's no point fighting about it. We're not going to change each other's minds."

"Fine, you're right," she said, defeated. He couldn't help but smile. It was rare she gave in so easily. "It's just that…"

"What?"

"Promise you won't get angry?"

"Why would I get angry?"

"Just promise."

"Promise." He was too curious for his own good. He knew he'd probably get mad, she had knack for doing that to him, yet he had to know what she was thinking.

"Well, they don't really seem like they're your friends to me," she started hesitantly. "They seem to sort of worship you, but it's different than it was our first year. Then everyone just admired your talent. Now, well, Malfoy and Avery are a year above us and Nott's two years above us and…I don't know…they seem to sort of follow you."

"Is there something wrong with that?" His tone was hard. To him it sounded like an insult, which hurt his pride. There was a rational part of his brain telling him that she what she had observed was the truth and he should be denying it if he didn't want her find out what they were up to.

"No, it's just…. it's just a little weird to me," she said, her tone pleading. He remained silent, unable to think of something to say.

"Nevermind, forget I said anything," she mumbled. She turned away and began heading back for the castle.

_She wasn't insulting you, idiot! She was just concerned_! The voice screamed inside his head.

I didn't ask for her concern, he thought. And why does she have to be so bloody smart? He had to run to catch her, she was walking at an extremely fast pace.

"I'm sorry," he said, panting slightly. "I misunderstood and reacted poorly."

"I shouldn't have said anything."

Silence fell between them as they waited for Tom to catch his breath. He wasn't used to running. It had been years since he'd been chased by bullies at the orphanage. Clearly, he was a bit out of shape. She buttoned up her coat before the continued. The sun was descending in the sky, causing the air around them to drop in temperature. They headed back at a quick pace, desperate to get inside the warm castle and enjoy the Halloween feast.

"You broke your promise," she said quietly. They had just reached the castle, the warmth hitting their frozen faces, thawing hit.

"I know." And I'll break many more.

**Sorry for the longer wait. I am leaving for college tomorrow (yay) so I probably won't be posting for a while (boo). However, I have three days of driving in the car and will do my best to use my time effectively. If I'm lucky I'll be able to post more than one chapter next time. So as always, tell me what you think. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**A/N: I am truly in awe of the response I'm getting from you wonderful readers. Honestly, it makes me want to write the story even more because I am excited to see what you all have to say.**

**To Shani Lee: I haven't quite decided yet. I keep going back and forth between what will happen. I guess you and I will both have to wait to find out! Though, I will consider your input on the matter. **

**So anyways, on with the story. Enjoy!**

**FOURTH YEAR**

"Tom!"

He turned and saw a strawberry-blonde head flying toward him. She flew into him so hard he staggered backwards a few feet. It took him a moment to realize she was hugging him, before he awkwardly reciprocated the action. He wasn't used to this sort of greeting. Actually, he wasn't used to this at all. When she had written to him asking him to meet her in Diagon Alley, he hadn't realized this would be her reaction.

"Oh, I'm so happy you came," she said. "You barely wrote at all this summer. I thought you were angry with me."

Her tone was playfully upset. He gave small and, a bit reluctantly, let his arms fall to his sides. She looked different. Perhaps it was because her hair was pulled back instead freely hanging down. Or that she was wearing a light blue dress and not her school robes. He didn't know what it was, but he knew it would bother him until he figured it out.

"No, of course not," he said clearing his throat. "Just busy is all. Did you enjoy your summer?"

"Dull as always," she said. "What are you reading?"

"Oh, nothing," he said, replacing the book on the shelf before she could look. "Just browsing."

Before she could question him further a high-pitched, frustrated voice interrupted them. They turned to see a thin women dressed in rich purple robes hurrying towards them. As she closed in on them, Tom noticed she looked like a thinner and unhealthier vision of her daughter, who was looking like she wanted to disappear.

"Jacqueline Marie Blake! How dare you take off like that! Young women do not run and they _do not throw themselves at young men!_" her mother scolded. "I suppose we should be glad your father had a meeting today. He would have been mortified at your behavior. Just think if someone had seen you! Oh, and who is this?"

Mrs. Blake had finally taken notice of Tom. He chanced at a glance at Jackie. He had expected her to look upset; instead she looked annoyed and slightly embarrassed. She took a moment to recompose her face and answered her mother.

"Mother, this is Tom Riddle. He's in my year and house at school. Tom this is my mother."

"Oh, of course. Jacqueline speaks most highly of you. Top of your year she says."

Both were acting as though nothing had happened. Mrs. Blake's tone was light and polite, her features content. Her daughter however was struggling to keep her expression a pleasant one. He went a long with it, deciding that this was normal for them.

"Pleasure to meet Mrs. Blake," he said, using his most charming voice. He noticed he felt oddly pleased when she said Jackie talked about him. "Your daughter is very talented as well."

"Oh yes, we are very happy we her performance," she said, though she did not sound as pleased as she looked. "You must join us for dinner tonight. Mr. Blake would be delighted to meet you."

"Thank you," Tom accepted, bowing his head slightly.

"Now then, are finished dear? I really need to get to get back and have a lie down."

"No, I still need to get my books and refill my potion ingredients."

"Well, I suppose I'll last awhile longer. Though we need to move faster then," her mother sighed.

Tom wasn't sure what made him do it. He could continue browsing for what he was looking for without her there, and yet he opened his mouth anyways.

"If you don't mind Mrs. Blake, I could escort your daughter while she finishes shopping and you could return to your hotel," he suggested.

"What a wonderful idea. I would be very grateful to you. Smart, handsome, charming, _and_ in Slytherin, quite the catch aren't you dear?"

Tom merely smiled politely. Mrs. Blake gave Jackie some money and left. She was blushing, probably embarrassed. As soon as her mother had left, Jackie hugged him tightly.

"Thank you, thank you. She's been driving me mad all day."

She pulled away, giving him an appreciative smile. His heart had sped up at her touch and found that he was sad at the loose of her touch. His actions confused him. Normally he was annoyed if anyone touched him, even if it was on accident. He hated people to touch him. And yet, he found himself almost longing for her to touch him again. _Only she does this to me,_ he thought.

"Anytime," he said, regaining his composure. "Shall we get your books?"

They finished shopping rather early, so they decided to wander in and out of shops for two hours. In the shops they would pick up objects at random and study or joke around with them. Occasionally they would see other students and talk to them for a bit, or at least Jackie would. For the most part he stood there quietly holding her books, speaking very little. Once he saw one of his followers and steered Jackie in the opposite direction. He didn't want to risk ruining his day. He was quite enjoying himself, he almost felt normal and he liked it.

Around five-thirty they started making their way back to the Leakey Cauldron to meet her parents for dinner. On their way they passed the turn-off to Knockturn Alley. He remembered his original plans for the day, how he had wanted to explore the shops there for powerful magic. He only felt a small twinge of regret at the knowledge he might have lost. He noticed her shiver as they passed the alley.

"What's wrong? Are you cold?" he asked, noticing the concern in his voice wasn't forced.

"Nothing, that alley just gives me the creeps."

Tom remained silent. What would she do if she knew his original plan for the day? He knew she wouldn't like it. But would it be one of those things that caused her not to talk to him? He couldn't and wouldn't tell her. He opened the door to the Leakey Cauldron and they stepped inside. Almost immediately, they where stopped by the barman, Tom. Tom clenched his teeth remembering how he hated his common name.

"Ah there you are, Miss Blake," Tom said. "Both your parents sent word that they will be unable to join you tonight. Do you still want your usual table?"

"Er, yes. Tom is joining me for dinner."

"Alright then, follow me please."

They followed him to a table that was in the corner of the room. Tom set Jackie's books and ingredients on the empty chair beside them. After they had placed their order, they were left in the first awkward silence of the day.

"I suppose the proper thing is for me to do is make an excuse for my parents?" she asked, breaking the silence.

"I suppose…"

"My mother cannot join us this evening because she is probably passed out drunk upstairs. My father is not at work. He is either out gambling or drinking with his buddies," she explained. He knew she wasn't joking, her tone cool and mock polite. Nevertheless, he was unsure of how to respond.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything," she sighed, leaning her forehead against her hands. "It's just…they drive me crazy. They are such hypocrites. They go on and on about proper behavior, but pull crap like this. I just wish…wish I could escape them."

Their food arrived, halting the conversation. Jackie gave the waiter a weak smile and 'thank you.' She played with her soup, stirring it more than eating it. She was avoiding his gaze. Did she regret telling him about her family or was she unsure of what to say next? As always, he found he had more questions about her than he ever had answers.

"Perhaps it's all the stress from their societal functions or your father's work even," Tom suggested.

"Maybe." She smiled at him; thankful he did not care about her slip-up. "Thanks for coming, I had a nice time today."

"Always happy to be of service," he said in mock-modestly.

"Liar," she whispered.

Though her response surprised him, it was nothing compared to the expression she now wore. She had a small smile and a challenging look in her eyes. It was as if she knew something he didn't her want to know. Before he could question her, they were interrupted by a man stumbling into their table.

"Father!" Jackie said, taken aback by his sudden appearance.

Tom, who was closest to him, stood up and helped steady him. He smelled strongly of smoke and alcohol. Jackie now stood on the other side of her father, her expression one of worry and fear.

"Where…is…your…mother," Mr. Blake said slowly and slightly slurred.

"She retired early, perhaps you should join her," Jackie said, her voice full of bravado.

"It is not _your_ place to order _me_!" her father yelled, causing the other diners to stare at them. "And who are you?" He spat at Tom.

"Tom Riddle. I go to school with your daughter. We're in the same house," Tom replied coldly. He did not like the tone he used with Jackie, or himself for that matter. "Perhaps you should retire sir. Many are watching and this is not a scene you want being spread around."

"Yes, you're right, young man. Very right," Mr. Blake said, his temper disappearing instantly. "Come on you. Don't want you being called the village harlot now. Wouldn't do well for your future prospects at all."

Reluctantly, Jackie took her things and followed her father. Before she left, she managed to give him an apologetic look for her father's behavior and mouthed 'thank you.' He nodded, keeping his face emotionless.

Tom had been talking about Mr. Blake's behavior not Jackie's. She wasn't doing anything wrong. She'd been behaving as she should, hadn't she?

_No, not according to her parents' standards_, the annoying voice in his head responded.

He sighed, remembering her parents were part of the wizarding high society. She should not have been alone with a male that was not a family member. She should not have given her opinion. She should not think.

Tom did not like who she was supposed to be. Neither did she though, he realized. She never followed those codes at school, not that it mattered because no one really did. Still, he should not have talked or treated her like that. It just was not right. And that's saying something coming from him.

And what the hell was that about "future prospects?"

He found her sitting alone in a compartment, much the way he had been three years ago. She seemed to be rubbing her left forearm and was startled when he opened the door.

"May I join you?"

"'Course," she said, hiding her arm stealthily in side her robe, though he still noticed. She wasn't quite that sneaky.

He sat across from her, studying her. She looked tired, upset. Though her skin held its sun-kissed look, she seemed oddly pale. Maybe she was sick, he thought. Something she ate.

"I'm sorry about last night," she mumbled.

"Do you always apologize for them?" Tom asked before he could stop himself. She looked hurt, but answered anyways.

"Yes, I have to."

"So? You don't let anyone talk to you like that at school," he challenged.

"They're my parents, it's different with them," she snapped. "What's it to you anyways?"

Tom couldn't answer. He didn't know why it bothered him. It just did. She sat there, looking at him expectantly, waiting for an answer. He shrugged and scowled out the window at the passing scenery. He heard the door slide open, and turned to see who it was.

Malfoy, Nott, and Lestrange entered the compartment and sat in the remaining seats. They looked at Jackie as they did, but not with the same annoyed look as before. It was more like interest. She got up and left without a final look or word to Tom.

"What's up with her?" Nott asked as she walked down the corridor.

"Nothing," Tom answered.

The four of them spent some time talking about their summers and their plans for the school year. It was after the food trolley had come that Avery joined them, along with some very disturbing news.

"Just saw the blood—I mean Blake," he corrected quickly. "She seems to be getting very close to that Abbott kid."

"Well, at least he's pureblood," Malfoy sighed.

"Won't last long though," Lestrange said. "If he's not in Slytherin her parents will never approve."

"They will if they have no other options," Avery said.

"What do you mean?" Tom asked, struggling to keep his tone level, uncaring, emotionless. It was bad enough that she had chosen to sit with mudbloods over him, but to hang out with _him_? It did not seem right, though he couldn't tell why.

"Well, it's not really a secret that she's friends with mudbloods, is it?" Malfoy ventured, the only one brave enough to respond. "Not many pureblood families want that in a future daughter-in-law. Plus she's too difficult too control. Many families are worried that she will destroy the family name and dishonor them."

"But she's only fourteen," Tom said, surprised that her parents were already planning her marriage. _That's what her father meant by 'prospects,'_ he thought.

"It's normal. It's the parents' job to ensure their children continue a pure bloodline," Avery shrugged.

While the others turned back to discussing their future antics for the year, Tom remained silent, lost in his own confusing thoughts.

**JANUARY OF FOURTH YEAR**

"Why are you even with him?" Tom demanded from across the room. Jackie stood across from him, fighting back tears. Though he disliked upsetting her, he couldn't stop himself. The words just kept coming. "He's in Hufflepuff!"

"Oh please, you've slept with at least one girl from every house this year," she scathing shot back. "Why did you do that?"

"I wanted to, it was fun." It was true; he did not care about any of the girls he had been with.

"Emily thought it was more."

"I've told you a thousand times, that's her fault. She was knew what she was doing," he said simply. "What about Abbott?"

"As I've told _you_ a thousand times, he's sweet and nice and…"

"And abusive?" He supplied.

"He's never hit me," she said, crying freely now.

"There's other forms of abuse and you know it! You've changed since you've been with him. You let him control you!"

She remained silent. He knew she knew it was true, but for some reason she refused to admit it. She'd become less outgoing all year and it was all Abbott's fault. He rarely saw her anymore and when he did they ended up fighting like this.

"I just don't know anymore," she whispered. She pushed past him, running back to her dorm probably. Tom finally lost it. He sent curses at all the objects in the classroom. When he had finished it looked like tornado had been through. He fixed everything, then followed in her steps, still fuming but now very worried.

**So what does everyone think? Sorry about the wait, I'm at school now and very busy. However to make up for the wait I made the story longer. I await your comments; I'm expecting lots after this. lol**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**FIFTH YEAR**

Tom walked around the deserted corridors, well patrolling them. He had been made prefect at the beginning of the year. It was one of the best things that could have happened to him. He had practically free rein of the castle, could get his followers out of trouble, and when he couldn't, he could keep himself out of trouble. He should not have been alone now though. The prefects were supposed to stick with their house partners for safety. But Emily Avery was being very annoying, and he had had to escape her before he did something rash. Besides, nothing was coming out tonight.

The reason for the heightened safety procedures was to the many attacks on students. Thanks to Tom, his ancestor's will was finally being carried out. About fifty mudblood students now lay petrified in the hospital wing. Though none had died yet, Tom felt very confident that many would not return next year from fear. If the wizarding world was how Slytherin had wanted it to be, he would tell his accomplishments to the world. However, his world was corrupt and he was forced to keep them a secret. He sighed rounding a corner. He stopped walking abruptly, listening to two voices that should have been downstairs in the Slytherin dorm.

"Come on Jackie," a boy said almost tauntingly. "Just give in, we're practically betrothed anyways."

"Get off," Jackie said. It sounded as if she was trying to push something heavy. "I told you, I don't give a damn what our parents do as soon as I'm seventeen I'm leaving. I'd rather live in the street than marry you."

The boy gave a cold laugh. "See, it doesn't matter what you say _now_, in the end you'll do what you're told. Just like our parents did."

She slapped him. It was silent for a moment, Stevens was probably in shock. He was one of the boys the girls never said no too. Tom stood rooted to the spot, unable to decide whether to leave or see if she was ok. His temper was rising; it was probably more prudent for him to leave.

"You bitch!"

Tom heard a body slam into the wall and made up his mind. He rounded the corner and what he saw made him even angrier. Stevens had Jackie pinned against the wall. Though she was struggling, she could not move her arms. All she could do was turn head away from him. Tom whispered a curse that separated them and knocked Stevens against the opposite wall. He looked livid now, but Tom did not care. He could take care of Stevens in a second.

"I think you should head back to the dormitory," Tom said, his voice cold, dangerous.

For a second Stevens looked like he was going to fight back, but then thought better of it. He knew what Tom was capable of and that he was no match for him. He picked himself off the floor and left glaring at Tom and Jackie as he passed them.

Jackie, Tom saw, had slid to the floor where she sat hugging her legs to her chest. He noticed the beginning of bruises on her arms. Her shirt seemed to be torn in some places and her hair was falling out of its bun. However, what Tom noticed the most was the shiny red trickle down her chin. Though he felt his anger rise again, another stronger feeling emerged at seeing her so weak. He was concerned about her.

These emotions had been absent for months. They'd been distant since last January. It was Christmas break now; it had almost been a full year. They did talk and were partners in class, but she did not seek out his company as much. As a result, he spent more time researching Dark magic and planning for the future. He'd felt nothing like this in months yet his body seemed to welcome while his mind tried to rebuff it. He should keep walking, but he couldn't. Instead he knelt down next to her and wordlessly heeled the bruises and fixed her shirt. He could not stop the bleeding because she would not look at him. He sighed and leaned against the wall next to her.

"Thank you," she said thickly, holding back tears.

"Why were you even out?" he asked, his voice so soft it shocked him.

"I was in the library and, well I guess I fell asleep and no one saw when they closed up so no one could wake me. I was on my way back to the dorm when he found me. Honestly, I don't which is worse: the monster or him," she said, giving a feeble smile.

"So that's the guy your parents picked, huh?"

"They're desperate, they think it's lucky 'cause he's in Slytherin. Other parents have heard rumors about him, mine too, but…" she stopped and shrugged. "I think my only way out is to runaway and not come back next year."

"What?" Tom asked, shocked and angry. Why would she leave? How could she leave? She had been there for five years and loved this placed as much as he did!

"I can't and won't marry him. I don't know how much more of his antics I can take. My friends and I haven't been on good terms since the attacks started, mostly because its Slytherin's monster and I'm a Slytherin. Then Sarah was attacked and they haven't spoken to me since. You and I have been weird for a year, but that's all my fault. I'm sorry by the way. You were right about everything and I didn't want to hear it. I did dump him shortly after that though. I was just too proud to tell you."

Tom nodded, floored by her sudden confession. He had no idea what she had been going through this year. She hid her pain better than the other girls. He had known about the break up, he too had been too proud to seek her out.

"Here," he said, turning her chin so that she was looking at him now. He heeled the wound and wiped away the blood with his thumb. "I'm sorry about your friends, especially Stone."

"Thanks Tom," she whispered. "We should head back to the dormitory."

He got up and helped her up as well. They walked all the way to the dormitory in silence. Tom thinking about how long it had been she had said his name, discovering he liked it when she said it. The confusion was back, he knew tonight had fixed everything from last year and she would be around more. Part of him was annoyed, she was always in the way, but most of him rejoiced. He had missed her company. Plus maybe he could keep Stevens away from her. As she was heading up the stairs to her dorm, she turned and threw her arms around him. In spite of his surprised, he managed to hug her back, breathing in the clean, flowery sent from her hair and enjoying the feeling of her arms around him. Before she pulled away she kissed him on the cheek. He noticed her blushing as she whispered 'good night.' Tom was left feeling strangely elated.

**Ok, that's it for year five, just a short blurb. But year six will be much longer, maybe two chapters or one giant one! However, for the quick update I'm expecting lots of views. Thanks Shani Lee for the good luck wishes!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Wow, I am in awe of the response from the last chapter. Thanks so much everyone. Here's my goal for this story. Personally, I feel this is the best one I've written yet, so my goal is to earn enough reviews for it to be my most reviewed story. I only ask that you keep reading; reviews are nice, but I know several people are reading and I appreciate that so much. So thank you. **

**SUMMER BEFORE SIXTH YEAR**

Tom stumbled along the muddy road. The blinding anger he had felt was subsiding into contentment. He had done it. He had taken the first step, the biggest step that would allow him to severe his ties to his muggle heritage and become the greatest wizard of all time. The memory of his family flashed before his eyes.

They had been eating dinner when he arrived. It had taken them a moment to notice him. When they did his grandfather looked dumbfounded, his grandmother surprised but please, and his father was just in shock. It was silent before his father began yelling at him, telling him to get out, insulting his mother. Tom's anger took over and he killed his father first. The whole time his grandparents just sat there, the same expressions on their faces until their son was killed, then they wore expressions of horror and fear. He almost felt bad for killing them, almost. They had to die; he could not afford any witnesses.

As he stumbled through the rain down from the Gaunt house, he felt himself getting weaker. Perhaps this is how your body reacts to killing someone, he thought. Maybe it takes more magic the first time? Tom was so lost in his that he slipped and slid rest of the way down the hill. At the bottom he hit something hard. He looked up through the rain and saw a tall figure looming over him. He struggled to get up, slipping on the mud and embarrassed at his sudden spell of klutziness. The man reached out an arm and pulled him up into a standing position. Tom's nose was filled with the strong smells of alcohol, tobacco, and perfume.

"What are you doing out in this weather boy?" the man asked. Tom recognized his voice: it was Mr. Blake. He did not think Mr. Blake would know him, as the last and only time they had met he had been drunk. "Well better get you home. You can dry off there."

Before Tom could utter a word of protest, Mr. Blake was literally dragging him away. He would have tried to fight more, but found his body becoming more tired and weak than it had ever been before. He gave up and followed Mr. Blake without further struggle. As they reached the house, Tom blacked out. His final thoughts were of Jackie's reaction to his sudden presence at her house in the morning.

**The next morning….**

"I should be doing that miss, you've been up all night," a high, squeaky voice said.

"I slept on and off," a soft, quiet voice responded. "Thanks for your concern, but I really wish you would go help Emily with Nana."

A door opened and shut somewhere around him. He felt something cool being applied to his face and neck by something warm and soft. It was a pleasant feeling, relaxing almost. He opened his eyes slowly, squinting as he adjusted to the light. A girl was sitting beside him with her back to him. Her strawberry-blonde hair was half-up, half-down; the up part in a loose bun. She was wearing a light-blue silk robe over her white nightgown. Tom was randomly thinking how impractical girls nightclothes were when she turned to face him. In some recess of his mind he knew he should have recognized her, but he had not. And even though he was sure she could not read his mind, he felt a bit embarrassed and blushed. For while the clothes may be impractical, he had noticed how she had looked in them at the same time.

"Welcome back to the land of living," she said, noticing he was awake. He looked at her curiously, confused. "You looked like you were dead last night," she explained, "and you sleep so quietly and still several times I thought might have died."

"Oh," he said, pushing himself into a sitting position. He noticed he was wearing blue-striped pajamas and not his clothes. He wondered where they were and how he had gotten into these. He did not remember anything after seeing the outside of the house. He looked around the room as if it would provide an answer and spotted his wand on the nightstand next to him.

"You need to eat," she said concerned. Tom realized this was probably due to his behavior. Even he was noticing how odd it was. Usually, he was quite calm but now he felt erratic, almost jumpy. She placed a tray of food on the other side of him and sat down again, looking as worried as ever.

"Are you alright? Do I need to call a healer or—"

"No," Tom interrupted. "I'm fine, just a bit…confused. Where are we?"

"We are at my Nana's house outside of the muggle village Great Hangleton. My father said he ran into you on the street. What are you doing here?"

"Your what?"

"My _grandmother's_ house," she repeated, annoyance creeping into her voice. "Tom what were you doing? You never said anything about travelling in your letters and if you had I would have invited you stay so you did not run the risk of dying in a rain storm."

Tom laughed; he couldn't help it. She still could not look threatening when she was angry and indignant. His laughter only made her glare more at him. "I doubt your parents would've approved of that."

"My parents? Did you not read the letters?" she sighed exasperatedly. "Mother is in rehab for her alcoholism and Father…well, he's doing whatever he pleases as usual. Ran into you on his way back from the whorehouse actually. It's just me, my grandmother, her nurse Emily—father thinks Nana's ill, but she's really not—and Blinkey, Nana's house-elf. So you see, no one's approval needed."

"Whorehouse, huh?" he said, munching on a piece of toast.

"That's what he picks up on," she muttered. "Is that where you were?"

"No," he said, glaring at her. "Doesn't matter anymore though. Let's just say I was backpacking across country."

"You're up to something again, aren't you?"

"What do you mean 'again'?" he asked indignantly. _Why must she notice things?_

"You are always up to something," she said simply. "I may not know what it is most of the time, but I do know when you're lying and keeping a secret. I've known you for almost six years, you had to have expected me to pick on these things."

"Maybe I didn't want you to," he muttered.

"Will you ever tell me what it is you're up to?" she asked, staring him down.

He smirked, "You won't like what you hear."

"I'm used to that," she shrugged, waiting.

"No," he said after a minute of silence. "I'm not going to tell you."

She sighed, "Guess I wasn't really expecting you to."

"Then why ask?"

"Because I want to know. By the way, how long would like to stay?"

"Well, I can't really leave without my clothes…"

"They're probably done, I just need to go get them. I know Emily will make you stay for at least five days so she can make sure you didn't catch anything. If you would like to stay longer, you're welcome to."

"I expect I shouldn't stay too much longer than that," he said unsure of how he felt about staying. A few days couldn't hurt and he was in no hurry to go back to the orphanage. "I didn't really tell the orphanage I was leaving."

She looked as if she was about to respond, but then did not. Tom really hated it when she did that, but for some reason also thought it was for the best because when she did say what she was thinking, he sometimes lost control of his temper. That would not have been good after everything she and her family had done for him.

"Speaking of my clothes, how did I get out of them?" he asked, surprised by his hesitancy.

"Magic. I'll go get them for you," she said, quickly getting up and heading toward the door. However, as she left he noticed her smirking. At that moment he almost wished he could have died.

Later that day, Tom found himself wandering around the house. Actually, it was a mansion that felt like a house. It was not cold and imposing the way one assumes mansions to be, instead it was warm and looked lived in. He had toured most of the 'house' already and was making his way to the grounds now. He came to a vast veranda where he saw a little old woman sitting in a wicker chair with flowery cushions looking out over the lake. He went over to her, deciding it was best to be polite whether he wanted to stay or not. Honestly, he was not sure which it was, which angered him even more.

"Good afternoon ma'am," he said, once again using his smooth, polite voice. "I wish to thank you for your generous hospitality."

She gestured for him to join her. He sat next her in another cushioned chair, and looked at the lake. That's when he noticed someone was in it; someone was swimming. It had to be Jackie; everyone else was in the house or here on the veranda. Yet he was surprised, he did not know she could swim.

"Fine swimmer, isn't she?" the old woman asked. "Very strong and confident."

"I know nothing about the sport ma'am. I'll have to take your word for it."

"Please, call me Rosemary," she said smiling at him kindly. "She wasn't lying when she said you were very polite. And stay as long as you like, dear. If you're good enough for Jackie, you're good enough for me. She's a very good judge of character, and I think it'll be a nice change for her to have someone her own age around."

Tom, though taken aback by such a truthful explanation managed to ask, "And you don't think her parents would mind? I mean it's not proper…."

"I'm not really worried about being proper anymore. I don't know if Jackie's told you, but ever since I was forced to disown my daughter—she married a muggle—I haven't much cared about proper pureblood behavior. Besides, you've met her parents. My son is a sad excuse for a man and my daughter-in-law, well, I can't remember the last time she was coherent. My one joy in life has been Jackie's visits. She's everything her mother and I both wished we could be, I only hope she doesn't get trapped in a loveless life like we did."

Tom was silent, unsure of what to say. Rosemary said everything as a fact with hardly any emotion. Though he sense emotion behind her words. Mercifully, a dripping wet Jackie appeared and saved him from having to say anything.

"How was it dear?" Rosemary asked as if she had not revealed their family history two minutes before.

"Amazing, the water's perfect this time of day. How are you two getting along? You boring him with family drama?" she teased.

"N-no," Tom stammered, having a hard time ignoring how the wet fabric clung to her body and how her hair flowed about her. He felt heat rising from his words and thoughts. Thankfully, they did not seem to notice.

"Well then, I'll dry off and give Tom a tour of the grounds," she said. "Don't want him getting lost."

And with that she practically bounded into the house.

"She's different here," Tom mumbled.

"Is she? How so?"

"I don't know, she just seems…freer, like she's not worried about anything anymore."

"Hmmm, she's always like this here. How is she at school?" Rosemary asked concerned now.

"Similar, but on a smaller scale. There's been…issues recently," Tom said, not wanting to say more than he should.

"Yes, she told me. It's so sad she had to lose friends over those attacks just because of what house she was in, but, sadly, that's how it is," she sighed.

"But in our first year she said she wanted to be in Slytherin."

"She did, she wanted her parents' approval, their love. She tried so hard when she was young, and then she just stopped. Decided they were not worth it, I suppose. They've never been good parents. My son wanted a boy, you know, to carry on the family name. However, after several miscarriages he had a daughter, and I guess he settled. Happy to have some heir."

Tom had this sudden urge, want, to take Jackie away, to protect her from anymore hurt. He knew he could not, probably would not, but he really wanted to. She was one the best people he knew, how could anyone put her through all this? With a pain, he remembered it was _his_ fault she was no longer friends with those girls. _They weren't good enough for her anyways,_ he thought. Finally she came, saving him from drowning in his confusing thoughts.

"Ready?" she asked. He nodded and got up to join her.

"Be back in time for supper," Rosemary called after them.

They head down the steps and across the lawn—that was more like a field—in silence. She led them into a wooded area, so they were shielded from the sun but could still enjoy the day's warmth. After ten minutes of silence, he spoke.

"You're grandmother is very interesting."

She smiled, "Yes, she's very honest. Doesn't believe in keeping up appearances anymore. So you got some of our family history then?"

"Yes and more. You never said anything about your friends," he said, wanting to know more.

"They apologized, but I was still mad. We're not friends right now, but that could change and it could not. Doesn't matter, what matters is I find a way out of this nuthouse. The fewer attachments, the easier it will be to leave," she said, her voice quiet yet firm.

"Why are you leaving? When?" he asked, realizing this was the last thing in the world he wanted. She could not leave, never.

"Not till I'm of age," she said soothingly. "And because I can't live my parents' life, there's nothing in it."

Tom flashed to their encounter with Stevens the previous year. As his temper flared he clenched his fists, struggling to contain his anger. He had to get her away from here, but she could not come with him. She wouldn't, not if she knew the truth. Unknowingly, he had stopped walking and distantly he heard her ask if he was ok. He felt her lead him to a tree were she had him sit down beside it and use it as support. Slowly she opened each of fists while saying meaningless words to sooth him. He could not hear them. His anger and confusion making him deaf to everything but his thoughts.

"TOM!" she yelled, finally breaking through to him. He stared at her blankly, putting all his energy into quelling his anger and regaining control.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" she asked after a minute. "Does this have anything to do with happened last night?"

"Where would you go?" he asked, voice even and ignoring her question.

"Huh?"

"If you left, where would you go?" he repeated.

"Oh, well, I don't know. I'd come say good-bye to Nana, then…maybe I'd go find my aunt. She may be sympathetic and help. But I don't know. I could go anywhere, do anything, couldn't I?"

She pushed back some of his hair that had fallen into his eyes. The action surprised him. It was so gentle, so caring. It was something he had only ever gotten from her. Her hand slid down to his face where she soothingly caressed his cheek. Without thinking he leaned into it, closing his eyes and enjoying her touch.

_You cannot have her and continue your mission. You cannot have both_, the voice said.

But I _want_ both, he thought back.

_She will never go along with it._

I can take her away, that's what she wants. She does not have the details.

_She would figure it out and then she would leave._

Tom groaned. That stupid voice was right. Why did things always get complicated and confusing when he was around her? Why did she have to be the exact opposite of him? She had light hair and eyes, where as his were dark. His skin was pale, while hers always looked lightly tan. He was a half-blood with pure-blood ideals. She was tolerant and accepting; she could care less about blood status.

"What's wrong, Tom?" she whispered, her sweet breath hitting his face. God, she was so close. Why was she doing this to him? "Should we head back? It's getting late."

Tom nodded, unable to speak. As he stood up, he bumped into her, causing her to fall over. The skirt of her dress slid up past her knees. He found himself unable to look away as a million inappropriate thoughts ran through his mind. She was so beautiful, why had it taken him so long to see it?

She stood up, laughing good-naturedly. "I suppose fair is fair," she joked. Tom realized she was talking about the pajamas and found himself getting very warm. He wondered if it showed on his face. He hoped not. He had never blushed in his life, but everything else he considered weak seemed to happen to him when he was around her. So, if was ever to blush, it would be now.

"Trust me Jackie, we are nowhere close to be even," he said quietly. He was pleased to see her blush at this statement. "Shall we?"

Avoiding his eyes, she turned and led them back toward the house. Their walk back was done so in silence. Both lost in their own thoughts and determined not to look at each other. Once they reached the house, Blinkey informed them that dinner was about to be served. At dinner, they spoke, but it was nothing more than polite conversation. However, Rosemary spared them from awkward silences once they ran out of topics. She had plenty to say and tell. Tom got the impression that it was rare for her to have company and she liked the change. After dinner, Tom quickly excused himself to his room where as Jackie stayed with her grandmother.

From that night on, Tom was plagued by confusing dreams. Well, the dreams themselves were very straightforward. It was after them that he felt confused. The first night he had dreamed that he had given in to his desires and had had her then. On the following nights, his dreams had become more lustful, causing him to need a cold shower when he woke up in the morning. While the dreams were more than enjoyable, he could not shake the nagging feeling from his mind. Part of him realized these dreams came from more than lust or desire. Part of him knew that he wanted her entirely, that he actually cared about her. But the other part, the part that ruled his actions fought this every step. He could _not_ allow these feelings to take control. He would never rise to anything if he did.

On his last night there, he lay awake fighting sleep. The dreams had to stop, he decided. He could not afford to let them take control. He sighed and walked over to the window, figuring it would be easier not to fall asleep if he were standing up. As he looked over the darkened landscape, a slit of light fell on the grass from the house. It disappeared quickly, and Tom saw Jackie walking across the grounds. At this point he could recognize her anywhere, even in the dark. Without thinking about the consequences, he walked out of his room to follow her. He could just _see_ what she was doing. He would just watch. There would be no talking involved.

He found her sitting on the opposite bank of the lake near a willow tree. The scene reminded him of Hogwarts. The night was pleasant, clear, and there was a cool, gentle breeze. He walked towards, knowing he was breaking his promise to himself—to her—not to speak. She looked at him as he approached. Her expression was a bit surprised at first, but shrugged to herself as if she should have expected it. She laid her head on his shoulder when sat next to her. Her clean, flowery scent was intoxicating to him. He did not even bother to fight against enjoying it. He took it all in: her smell, her warmth, her feel, everything.

"Are really going back to the orphanage?" she whispered so quietly he was almost not sure she had spoken.

"Yes, I did what I needed to do. I'll go back and wait for term to start. It's only a few more weeks."

"You don't have to go back if you don't want to," she said, playing with the hem of her nightgown. "I know you don't like it there, and no one minds you staying. In fact, we've all enjoyed your company."

"Who is 'we'?" he asked, trying to keep his beat steady. Following her had been a bad, he did not think he was going to be to control himself.

"Nana, Emily, me. Mostly me," she admitted under his stare.

"I have to go back," he whispered. "It's important that I do."

"Why?"

"I…I can't tell you," he said, his resolve failing.

She sighed and pulled away from him. He regretted the loss of contact, but stayed still, struggling and failing to keep his face free of emotion.

"Why do you have to have so many secrets, Tom?"

That did it. The simple use of his name had everything rushing to the surface. He had to look away so as to not spill everything. He needed to get away from her, before he said or did something regrettable.

"They keep me alive," he said, getting up. He held a hand out to her and helped her up as well.

"They keep you alone," she challenged. It was true. He could not contradict it so he said nothing.

"We should go inside. It's late and too cool for you to be out here in that," he said, leading them into the house.

**Hope the length was worth the wait. With everything that comes with school, I have little time/energy to write. Please be patient and keep reading! Also, I apologize for typos. I try my best to catch them, but some get through anyways.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**I'm sorry I'm taking so long to update. There's so much to do at college, mostly schoolwork. Please enjoy and comment.**

**SIXTH YEAR**

Ever since they had returned from summer break, she had been distant with him. At first she had merely seemed preoccupied, as if something was bothering her and she could not figure out what it was. But as the year progressed she had started to forget meetings with him, break said meetings, or leave early during them. She had even begun to ignore him now. Her behavior confused him. It was like she was angry with him, but he did not know what he had done. As a result, he had been in a foul mood for months and his followers and their victims were getting the brunt of it.

He was, therefore, surprised when she signed up to stay at Hogwarts over the winter break. After all, it would be just her, him, and a few other Slytherins—none of which she was fond of. So why stay with a bunch of people she did not want to be around? Surely, she could stay with her grandmother if she wanted too. He knew her parents would not care. They were more than happy to get rid of her. Tom grew angry remembering how they treated her. He wanted her and about her more than anything, and they treated her as if she was their servant!

Yes, he could admit it to himself now. He wanted her more than anything. But he wanted her because he cared about her. She was not like the other girls he used and forgot about. He did not want her just for physical pleasure. He wanted to keep her safe and make her happy. He knew he could do the first, but the second…. That would require letting go of his plans for the future, and he had already done so much. It was either let it all go or tell her and hope she could accept it. He did not think she would. She was not anti-mudblood. He would keep quiet. He could not afford to tell her. These feelings would—hopefully—pass in time. In the meantime, her coldness continued to hurt and frustrate him to no end.

Tom glared at nothing in particular as he patrolled the corridors. He was in no hurry to get back to the dormitory. A few first and second years had stayed behind, but everyone else had gone home. Jackie would put together activities for them during the day. So far they had had a scavenger hunt and a snowball fight. Tonight they had decorated the common for Christmas, which was the next day. It gave them something to do and kept them out of trouble. Those from other houses had joined them in the two previous events—house rivalries forgotten for the holidays. Tom had not minded. He had used the silence of the common to kept ahead on work and do more research and planning. Basically, he was trying to distract himself from thinking about Jackie.

Finally, he reached the portrait hole. Unable to find a reason to avoid going inside, he entered. Jackie and a first-year girl were putting the last bit of silver tensile on the tree. Tom was impressed with their work. The tree was adorned with gold and silver tinsel and red candles, which were lit. He guessed Jackie had put a charm on them so the tree would not catch fire from the flames. Rest of the room was decorated in silver, gold, read, and green streamers and bows. There was even a wreath above the fireplace. Tom remained in the entryway, hidden by the shadows, contemplating whether he should try to talk to Jackie or not. She had just sent the girl off to bed and was cleaning up the room with her wand. She would be done in a matter of seconds. If there was ever a better moment…

BANG!

Both Tom and Jackie's heads whipped towards the sound. It had come from the boys' side of the dorms. Jackie gave an exasperated sigh and started to make her way to the source. Tom followed as she started up the stairs, wondering what could have happened to make her so irritated. He stopped outside the second years' room when he heard her scolding them.

"What is wrong with you? Why are you constantly fighting each other?" she asked, frustrated, but clearly wanting an answer.

"It's just fun," one boy answered, clearly trying to worm his way out of trouble. "Honest, we don't mean anything by it."

"Besides," the other chimed in, his tone full of superiority, "it's not like _you_ can do anything. You are not a prefect and according to my brother you're a blood traitor. You're practically a mudblood."

Tom's anger flared and he entered the room. "I, however, _am_ a prefect."

Both boys paled as he entered. He recognized them as Lestrange's and Nott's younger brothers. Neither was apart of his group, though both were aspiring to be like their brothers. They often hung around them, acting cool to get his approval. They would never cut it as they were only brave in numbers, but he knew they would join eventually. Most of his followers were like that.

"Now, what's going on here?" he asked, his tone smooth and cold.

"N-nothing," the younger Nott stammered. "We were just…just using with some Zonko's products. My brother gave some to me."

"There will be no more using "Zonko's" products in the dorms. If I hear them again, I will take them and report you to Professor Slughorn. Goodnight," he commanded. He stepped aside and allowed Jackie to exist before him. As he closed the door he heard the boys scrambling into bed, and could not suppress a smirk of satisfaction.

"Why do you feel the need to intimidate people?" she asked suddenly.

"I have a duty to help keep the students under control," he said simply.

"You've been intimidating since before you were a prefect. I think you just like having power over people. I just don't understand why," she said, turning to leave.

Without thinking Tom reached out and grabbed her forearm. "This would not have anything to do with you avoiding me, would it?"

"What? I have not been avoiding you," she said, slightly indignant. But she would not meet his gaze. He turned and began pulling her behind him.

"Tom, what're you—?"

But before she had finished, they were in his dorm room. As he quietly closed and locked the door behind them, she took a few steps back from him. She had never seen him this angry and was not sure what was going to happen. Tom took a few deep breaths to calm himself, but did not move away from the door. When he spoke he used his normal voice. There were no tricks or manipulating tones; for once it was just raw emotion.

"Why have you been acting so strange this term? What happened?"

"I…I found something out over the summer, after you left," she said. He was glad she was no longer denying it but she was still not looking him, finding the wood grains of the bed frame incredibly interesting.

"So?" he prompted.

"After you left, some peculiar articles appeared in both the _Prophet_ and the muggle papers. The night you came to stay with us, three muggles were murdered in Little Hangelton. None of the muggles know how it happened. Their last name was Riddle. The son's name was Tom."

Tom felt as if something cold had fallen into stomach, but he remained silent.

"Then there was a small blurb in _The Prophet _about someone named Gaunt being arrested for the murders. I did not know the name and neither did my family. When we returned to Hogwarts I looked for the name. I found it in some old genealogy book. Turns out he was a descendent of Slytherin."

Damn, she was smart. After all this time of trying to hide everything from her, she had found anyways. And it was all mere chance!

"And what does this have to with me," he asked, trying to play innocent. He never was really good at it.

"It's too much of a coincidence. The names, your obsession with your _blood_ heritage, Slytherin's chamber opening…. Are you really going to deny this?"

"No."

"Did you kill your father and grandparents?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"You already said it in the hall," he said, crossing the room and standing a foot in front of her. "For power. Now, what are you going to do?"

"What do mean?"

"Are you going to tell anyone?"

The air around them seemed more still than normal as they stood mere inches from each other and she thought.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I…I have no proof," her voice faltering as she finally met his gaze.

"Sounds like you have plenty of proof," he whispered. "So why not?"

"You're my friend, I can't," she sighed miserably.

He could tell she was lying again. Maybe he should teach her how to be a better liar, especially if she was to be keeping his secret. He noticed she was blushing and still having trouble keeping eye contact. It was so unlike her…. He realized why she would never tell. The part that had longed for her for so long was overjoyed, while his ambitious side panicked. He could not suppress the small smile that sprang to his lips.

"What?" she asked, confused by his sudden mood change.

"Do you mind if we finish this later?" he asked, moving so close to her that she was backed against the bedpost. She was about to say something when he closed the distance between them and kissed her.

While she was surprised at first, she responded with much enthusiasm. Tom was surprised himself, expecting her to be repulsed by him. She moaned as he began kissing her neck. He pulled her robe off her so that she stood before him in her thin white night gown. He continued to kiss her as he ran hands over her through the fabric. He felt her tugging at his shirt and helped her remove it. Reluctantly, he pulled away and made her look at him.

"Jackie…?" he gasped, struggling to form a sentence. God she was beautiful, even more so now that her skin was slightly flushed. Why was he stopping again?

She brought her lips to his and kissed him gently. "It's ok, Tom," she said, caressing his cheek. Hearing her same his name was all he needed. He began kissing her passionately again as they helped each other finish undressing and fell onto the bed. He could not believe this was happening. Yes he had hoped for it, but never believed it would happen. He never felt worthy to have her or thought she would want him. But this was better than he had ever thought it would be. They moved and fit together perfectly. It had never been this good with the other girls, in the back of his mind he wondered why.

When they finished, he continued to hold her close to him. He did not want to let her go, afraid she might disappear. She kissed him one last time before succumbing to sleep. As he watched her sleep he realized why it had been so good: He actually cared about her. And as he fell asleep, he realized he did not think it a weakness anymore.

The next morning Tom was awoken by shouts from the floors below. He groaned and rolled over, trying to hide his face from the light. As he did, he felt something warm beside him. Surprised and confused he opened his eyes to see Jackie asleep next to him. The memories from last night flooded his mind and he could not stop the smile they brought with them. She knew the truth—well, most of it—and had not run from him. He frowned. She should have run or screamed at him or something. He knew she was not happy about what he had done, that she did not agree with his philosophy, and yet…. And yet she had kissed him. _Well, we did more than just kiss_, he smirked. His attention was drawn back to her as she stirred beside him.

"Morning," he said, watching her blink the sleep out of her eyes.

"Morning," she said.

She pushed herself up so that she was leaning against the headboard, all the while blushing and avoiding his eyes. Realizing she was unsure of his mood, he gave her a soft, reassuring kiss. He did not want her to be afraid of him. Anyone else sure, but not her.

"So," he said, breaking the silence between them.

"So?" she asked, confused.

"I suppose you want to finish the conversation from last night. Knowing you, you are not satisfied with what you learned."

"Last night was mostly a confirmation of what I already knew," she said, her voice soft. "I do have questions though." She was looking at him now and, intentionally or not, has leaned closer to him.

"What do you want to know?" He kept her gaze, entreating her with his not to look away again. She took one of his hands in hers and held it. After what seemed an eternity, she answered.

"Everything."

So he told her everything. What he had done, what he panned to do, and why. She listened and did not interrupt. A few times she looked away or seemed to be in pain, but she never moved away from him or withdrew her hand from his. When he finished, she remained silent, still thinking it over. During the silence that followed he was truly afraid. Afraid she would leave and not want to see him again. It was the most unbearable silence of his life.

Finally she said, "I suppose your fear is not irrational, humankind has feared death since the beginning, but I don't like what you're doing. You're hurting—killing—others. You're probably going to end up hurting yourself. What you are doing is too dangerous; surely there's another way for you to accomplish this goal. As for the other, well, you're the best in our grade, probably the school. It would be easy to work your way up through the ministry. You could probably be minister within the next ten years. Why is your way so dark?"

He could not respond immediately. He was far to taken aback by her logical response. He quickly realized this showed how well she knew him by using reason. He moved closer to her so that their faces were only inches apart.

"Because I am."

"I don't believe that. Besides, why would you want to live forever? This world's not so great. What if there's a better one after this life, did you ever consider that?"

"I didn't. That's something good people think. However," he said, his ambitious side screaming in protest, "your option is tempting me."

"Really?" she asked, looking at him curiously.

"Yes, I'm thinking playing at being good, couldn't hurt."

"Well, I suppose you are already immortal, so there's not reason to continue doing that. You can always just change the government style once your minister," she said, trying to repress a smile.

"Plus, I think it's the only way you'll stay," he whispered.

"Are you compromising?" she asked in mock shock.

"Only for you."

"And why's that?" she teased.

"You know why," he grumbled. "Are you done asking questions? Because I would like to resume a different conversation from last night."

In response, she closed the distance between them. As Tom enjoyed the best Christmas of his, the evil in him became quiet. She had not run, but instead suggested an alternate path that he could take. She had understood him. As his mind drifted off into bliss, he realized that this was that emotion he had mocked for so long: love. She loved him enough to stay and understand, and not abandon him as others had. He realized love was not such a bad thing after all.

**AN: Sorry for the long wait, there was school than writer's block. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and that the wait was worth it. I'll try and be better.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**Started this the day AFTER posting 7! So I know where I am going with this story. Finally right? Anyways, R&R!**

**SIXTH YEAR CONTINUED**

"Tom, what are you doing?"

She had been in the library studying for History of Magic. He had joined her about five minutes ago and had been making her notes and quills fly around her. She had finally given up on accomplishing anything and slammed her textbook shut.

"Practicing," he smirked, allowing her notes to fall neatly on top of her books.

"I think you've got it," she said annoyed.

"I'm inclined to agree with you on that. Though I do have other things I would like to practice," he said suggestively.

"Is that so? Well, I suppose we all have something we would like to do. For example, I would like to pass our History of Magic exam," she snapped.

"You'll pass, and you know you will. You need to relax."

With a wave of his wand his conjured all her things into her bag. Grabbing her bag he offered her his hand. She accepted it wordlessly, giving him a look that was a cross between annoyance and curiosity. Quietly, they made their way through the corridors and up the ever-changing staircases. Finally, he opened the door that lead to the Astronomy tower.

The spring night air was cool and the sky clear. It reminded Jackie a little of the night by the lake the previous summer. She smiled, remembering how nice that summer had been. Tom set down her things and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Tom, I really _do_ need to study," she said.

"And you will," he whispered before kissing her.

Jackie's protests were forgotten as their kissing became more passionate. A short time later, they were cuddling in a corner and Tom was quizzing her on the history of the magical world.

"See," he said smirking while putting her notes in the book and closing it, "you know it. That break might have even helped."

"You're an ass," she murmured. He smirked more and kissed the top of her head. "You think you'd be able to visit this summer?"

"Maybe," he said into her hair. He sighed, not sure he would actually be able to see her, especially if she stayed with her parents this summer. They were still trying to set her up with Stevens. "Come on, it's late and you're exhausted. I'll walk you back to the dormitory and then go on patrol."

They walked back in silence. The whole time Tom was thinking about being separated from her over the summer. Even if he was a Slytherin, he was of no name or money. Her parents would never approve. He knew this, and so did she, though she would never admit it. It would be better for her for him not to visit her, to remain a secret from her family. He could take her away next summer, when they were both of age and the law could not intervene. All he needed to do was convince her to wait and be patient—and not say anything to anyone.

They stopped at the Slytherin entrance, shaking Tom from his reverie.

"Good night Tom," she said, kissing his cheek. He opened the portal for her, whispering "good night" as it closed behind her. He sighed, annoyed with the whole situation. Why did everything have to be so complicated?

"Promise you'll write," Jackie asked for the hundredth time that train ride.

Tom sighed angrily. He knew she was not happy, but neither was he. Did she not realize that this was as hard for him as for her? Actually, it was almost harder because he was not entirely convinced that her parents had given up on Stevens like she claimed they had.

"You know I will. Now come on, if your parents are kept waiting any longer—"

"—it won't bode well if they have to come looking for me. All right, I'm going." She kissed him one last time, and opened the compartment door.

"Tom," she said, pausing on her way out. He looked at her, hoping she was not going to ask him to write again. "I love you."

It could not be real. This was a muggle paper; it could not be the same family. They were wizards, why would they have been in a car? It could not be them…..but those were their names, at least those were her parents names. The article said there were three victims, so who was the third?

He made up his mind in seconds, and had apparated to her grandmother's house just as quickly. The grounds were quiet, and he could not see anyone walking around. He walked out of the tree shadows and made his way to the mansion's door. He knocked, not caring about what her grandmother would think about him showing up without any notice. A woman in her thirties opened the door, a look of confusion on her face.

"Hello, my name's Tom Riddle. I'm a friend of Jacqueline, is she here?" he asked. He kept his tone level, but was only a second away from flying into a rage.

"Yes, would you like to come in?" she asked standing aside and motioning for him to enter. He did, relaxing when the woman said she was here. He noticed how dim the house was even though it was mid-afternoon. She closed the door behind him and led him to a parlor.

"Now's not the best time for visitor's, but maybe it'll do her some good. I suppose you heard about her parents?" she asked.

"Yes, her father's at St. Mungo's in coma, correct?"

The woman nodded sadly, "He is my brother, I'm Jackie's aunt. I don't know if she's mentioned me—"

"You're mother did," he interrupted. "I visited last summer and she mentioned you."

Jackie's aunt teared up and mumbled something about going to find Jackie. Alone in the room, he realized how quiet the house was. Even though there had only been three people living here last summer—four including him—the house had not seemed this empty. Perhaps it was because Rosemary was no longer there, for he now realized that Rosemary had been the third victim in the car accident.

He heard rushed footsteps coming down the stairs and got up to meet them. He had just barely entered the hall and seen her when she threw her arms around him and started sobbing. While tightly holding onto her, he managed to lead them back to the parlor and to a couch where he comforted her. After an hour she was done crying and able to get form a coherent sentence.

"What happened? I saw the article in the paper and…"

"Father was going to have Grandmother declared unfit or something. She had talked about getting in contact with Jessica, her daughter, and writing them into the will. Then she said that I should not be forced into marriage, that I should be able to make that decision for myself. He got angry, so they all went into town so that he would not lose his inheritance. And then…and then another car hit them…."

Tom held her closer as she took deep breaths to study herself. "I thought it was you. They paper only listed three names and nothing was in the _Prophet_," he said.

"Jessica's trying to keep it quiet. She's having to straighten out both Grandmother's and my parents' affairs, figure out what to do with me, and raise her family. Her husband and their children went out to get dinner."

"What will happen now?"

"I don't know. I think my grandmother split the estate between her children, so Jessica gets half and I get half. Then I inherit, or have access to, whatever my parents had. Finish school and….," she trailed off and shrugged. "None of it really matters."

"Will you stay? Through the rest of the summer?" she asked after almost an hour of them sitting in silence.

"What about your aunt?"

"She won't mind."

"Then yes, I'll stay with you."

As the days passed, Jackie slowly began to act normal again. She became less distant and cold, and began spending more time out of her room and with Tom and her family. Tom stayed with Jackie in her room. And while he could tell that her aunt did not approve, Jessica did not say anything to him or Jackie.

"We go back to school in a few weeks," Jackie said one evening. The evening was hot and the windows were open in an attempt to get a cross breeze. She had pushed down all the blankets and sheets to the foot of the bed and was lying with head on top of the sheets and her feet at the pillows.

"And?" Tom asked as he continued to read.

"_And_ it's our last year at Hogwarts. Aren't you sad? Excited? Anything?" she prompted, kicking him playfully.

He paused in his reading and looked at her curiously. She did not usually ask such silly questions. Not to him at least.

"Don't look at me like that Tom Riddle. I refuse to belief that you are not even the tiniest bit excited because I've known you for almost seven years now, and I know that you've thought about life after Hogwarts."

"Well then, I suppose I am the tiniest bit excited to get out of the classroom and into the real world," he answered mockingly. She went to kick him again, but he grabbed her by the ankle before she could move. Unable to break his grip, she sat up and glared at him. Without breaking eye contact, he positioned himself so that they were within an inch of each other.

"What's gotten into you?" he asked. "You've been acting odd lately."

Pushing him back, she moved to where she was sitting on her knees and at eye level with him. "I realized something a few days ago."

"And that was what?" he asked, twirling a strand of her hair around his finger.

"I realized," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck, "that I don't have to deal with the whole Stevens mess anymore."

"Well," he said while maneuvering them so that he was hovering over her, "I suppose that is a good enough excuse for your behavior."

"Is the door locked?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Good," she said, pulling his mouth down to her for a kiss.

**So, not a super long chapter considering the wait, but I've hit a writer's block at this point. I know where the stories going. There's going to be a sequel of sorts, so I'm working on that at the same time in order for there to be some of it ready when this stories finished. Please be patient with me and tell me what you think!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own anything Harry Potter related. (I forgot that last time.)**

**Author's Note: As stated before I am writing the sequel to this story as I finish this story, which causes more time between updates. This is good because the first four chapters of the next story are completed. My goal is to be halfway through the sequel when this one is finished. I'm so psyched for where this story is going. Hope you all are too!**

**Shout out to Acro11: First your review made me smile (Don't worry, I am finishing this story). Second you were chapter 8's sole reviewer, so you were my only reason for wanting to update. Hope you enjoy this chapter just as much! And I'm sorry this took so long, PLEASE FORGIVE ME!**

**SEVENTH YEAR**

Tom was on patrol. Surprisingly, it had been quiet so far. It was May and after final exams. There were only a couple weeks left of the term. Usually, this was about the time the students started acting out from spring fever, but Tom had not had an incident in days. Not that it bothered him. It made his patrols shorter, which meant he could get back to the dormitory and see Jackie.

They were getting married after school let out. They would go to the courthouse, sign the papers, and be done with it. Not a wedding every girl dreams of, but they wanted to keep a low profile in case any of her father's friends decided to step in and try to stop them. It was also the fastest way to make sure her father could not do anything if he was to ever wake up from the coma. They had nothing to fear from her aunt: she had promised to stay out of their business as long as they did not draw too much attention to themselves.

So the plan was to get married and go underground for a while. Tom would continue to explore the more advanced magicks, but had promised not to pursue the Dark Arts any further. He was already immortal with his one Horcrux, and Jackie was right: He could find another way to reshape the wizarding world. It would just take more time. And he had plenty of time to find that way.

A loud sound broke through his thoughts, bringing him back to the present. He stopped to see if he heard it again. When he did not, he decided to keep walking and see if he came across the source of the noise. He thought it had only been a corridor or two over…. After a few minutes he heard some noise. It sounded like a struggle. Remembering the last struggle he had come across, he sped up, hoping it was not the same two people as last time.

His stomach twisted into knots and his temper flared as he rounded the last corner. Without thinking, he shot a curse at the boy, who promptly fell to the floor unconscious. The girl slid down the wall to rest on the floor, trying to move away from the boy as she did. Tom remained frozen in place, seething with anger. He was afraid to approach to her, afraid his temper would get the best of him.

"Tom?"

The sound of her scared voice calmed his temper for the moment, allowing him to go to her. He pulled her shaking form to him gently. She had several bruises forming already and he did not want to hurt her. Quietly, he pointed his wand at her and whispered a healing charm. The darkening spots on her skin healed instantly.

"Thank you," she whispered. "I didn't even see him. He was so fast I-I couldn't reach my wand in time. He just kept saying that he would make sure he married me, that he and his family needed the money."

"It's ok. He won't touch you again," he reassured her. _And if he even thinks about touching her again, I'll kill him._

He helped her to his feet and they made their way to their dormitory. He did not worry about the unconscious boy, he would live and it would be too risky for him to report the incident to a teacher. Jackie slept with him that night. The other boys in his room were fast asleep, so it was easy to sneak her in; and, thanks to the bed's curtains, they would never now she was there. Tom held her close to him as she slept, while an anger that he had not felt in a long time rose in his chest.

X X X X X X X X X

Before school ended, Tom had arranged a place for them to live and had gotten a job at Borgin and Burkes. After school, they married in secret. Jackie had inherited money from both her grandmother and mother, which made their lives a lot easier than it would have been otherwise.

For a while things were good. Tom was content with his job at the shop, and was in the process of getting a job at the Ministry. Then tragedy struck. Jackie's father woke up from his coma. He was furious when he found out what Jackie had done. He tracked them down, and approached Jackie when she was home alone one day. They argued and Mr. Blake attacked his daughter. Tom arrived at the same moment. When Mr. Blake turned on him, Tom shot a killing curse at him. He transformed the body and threw it into the trash, then he went to assist Jackie. She was unconscious and there was some blood on her dress. He did not see any injuries, but took her to the hospital anyways. There they discovered that they attack had caused her to have a miscarriage: They had not even known she was pregnant.

When they returned home, Tom began packing the house. They could not stay here; someone would come looking for Mr. Blake. They had to leave the country for a while. He let Jackie sleep. She had been through a lot, and even was experiencing the pain of loss. But why he could not understand. They had not known they were expecting, there had not been any attachment. Yet, he was hurting. He knew Jackie was too. She had not said a word since they had found out. He woke her when he had finished, and he apparated them to Albania. They lived there a few years before they returned to England. Jackie was depressed early on, but recovered over time and was back to her normal self. However, Tom no longer felt at peace. Jackie had been attacked too many times. He needed to be stronger if he wanted to keep her. The last attack had set him back down his original path, ending his and Jackie's happy life together.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Harry Potter.**

**JACKIE'S DIARY**

_**Early September 1979**_

_ It's early morning, just getting in some quiet time before Alexander wakes up. I can't believe he's over a year old already. I also can't believe I'm pregnant again. I'm far too old to be. I know that, thanks to Tom, I appear to be in my late forties, early fifties, but my body and mind know they're much older than that._

_ I know he was trying to give me something to take care of with Alex, but I don't think he planned for another child. And I don't think I can survive another pregnancy. I'm so tired as it is, and I get sick so often. But will happen to Alex, to this new baby, if I die? Tom could never take care of a child, nor do I think he wants to._

_ I couldn't leave them with him anyways. He's not the man I married. Sometimes I doubt he's even human. God only knows what he would do with them. _

_ I need a plan to get them away from him. I couldn't save myself, God help me, but I can save my children. _

_ Narcissa Malfoy is expecting. Her baby will arrive only a few months before mine. I can go with her. She'll have similar feelings about her child being around this violence. She'll understand. Severus Snape will necessary as well. He's the only reason I made it through the first pregnancy. After this one is born, I'll have to find some place to hide them. Perhaps I could contact Dumbledore? Maybe Snape can help there. He may be a double agent, but I often get the feeling he does really believe in Tom's mission._

_ I may just pull this off. Tom's gone so much and both Narcissa and Severus are sworn to keep my confidences by Tom. The hardest part will keep Tom from knowing I'm pregnant again. He can never know._

Jackie closed her diary and looked up at her son. She loved him so much. He was such a cute and sweet baby. She could not take the chance that Tom would have his way and raise him in his insane beliefs. Alex smiled at her and hissed something. She grimaced, hating that he was a Parselmouth. It brought a lot of unwelcome guests into the house. She got up and picked him up out of his crib.

"No matter what happens, know that I love you and your little sibling more than anything," she whispered to him. He smiled again and laid his head on his mother's shoulder. _Oh Tom,_ she thought, _why did you do this?_

_**May 21, 1980**_

"She's beautiful," Narcissa cooed, handing the newborn girl back to Jackie. Jackie held her daughter, Danielle, as she slept. She was beautiful, but more importantly she was safe. Only Narcissa and Severus knew of her existence.

Alex stood next to his mother's bed, looking curiously at the bundle in his mother's arms. She motion for him to come closer, and he obeyed.

"Alex, this is your baby sister. Her name is Danielle. Will you help Mommy take of her?" He nodded his head, still mesmerized by his new sister. He looked more and more like Tom everyday. He had her hair, eyes, and complexion, but she still saw Tom in his face and even in his moods.

"What are you going to do now?" Severus asked. He had been working on something over in the corner of the room. He approached her, handing her a potion.

"I'll stay here a while longer and recover. Then I'll go visit a friend and stay there until Tom returns, which is when he expects me back. I'll leave the children there, and tell him some story of why Alex is not with me," she explained, her voice pained.

Leaving her children was going to take all the strength she had. As much as she wanted to disappear with them, she knew she couldn't. She feared Tom would come looking for her, but figured he would believe a story about Alex dying tragically.

"You may still here as long as you like," Narcissa offered.

Jackie smiled at her, "Thank you, but I fear if I stay here too long I will put you and your son in danger. Also, he will be suspicious if Severus keeps disappearing."

They nodded and left her and her two children alone. Alex had crawled up onto the bed and was sleeping next her. Snape had made enough of the potion that she would be fine without his continued help. It would help her recover faster and then go visit an old friend from school. She and her family lived on the coast. Her friend did not know of her marriage, so she would never be able to tell anyone who Alex and Danielle's father was. It would be a beautiful, calm place to stay. She leaned over and placed Danielle in the crib next to her.

She was going to do this. She was going to save her children.

X X X

Jackie did manage to save her children. Tom never questioned her story of Alex's death. However, leaving her children took its tool. She was alone and had no one; Tom grew even more distant and cold. Her health declined, and by October of 1981 she was hanging onto life by a thread. She was not worried; her friends had strict instructions in case of her death or other events. When Tom's soul was ripped from his body she died. He had died her life to his in hopes of keeping her alive longer, but that magic was not strong enough to keep her alive. Her final thoughts were of her children, and how happy she would be if they lived full, happy lives.

**What do you think? I know not the best ending, but it sets up the sequel (so it's not really the end!). This should be up soon; the title is "Children of Evil REVISED." CoE was my first story ever (so it's really, really bad), so I'm fixing it up and using it as a sequel for this. Please check it out (the Revised one, not the original cuz the original is bad)! Remember: you don't have to wait for updates for a while because I've already written several chapters (yay!) Actually I have the first 5 chapters done and am working on the sixth. The first chapter was uploaded shortly after this.**

**As always, I love reviews. And if you stick with me through the sequel, I promise I will do a much better job at updating (However, finishing a story within a year is a huge accomplishment for me!). : )**


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